Effects of varus knee alignment on gait biomechanics and lower limb muscle activity in boys: A cross sectional study
| Autor: | AmirAli Jafarnezhadgero, Urs Granacher, Matteo Zago, Morteza Madadi-Shad |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Male
musculoskeletal diseases medicine.medical_specialty Adolescent Cross-sectional study Ground reaction force Biophysics Electromyography Osteoarthritis Knee Joint Quadriceps strength 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Physical medicine and rehabilitation medicine Humans Knee Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Bow leg Child Muscle Skeletal Gait Pediatric gait medicine.diagnostic_test business.industry Rehabilitation Biomechanics 030229 sport sciences musculoskeletal system medicine.disease Biomechanical Phenomena body regions Kinetics Cross-Sectional Studies Lower Extremity Coronal plane Ankle business human activities 030217 neurology & neurosurgery |
| Popis: | There is evidence that frontal plane lower limb malalignment (e.g., genu varus) is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis development. However, only scarce information is available on gait biomechanics and muscle activity in boys with genu varus.To examine the effects of knee varus alignment on lower limb kinematics, kinetics and muscular activity during walking at self-selected speed in boys with genu varus versus healthy age-matched controls.Thirty-six boys were enrolled in this study and divided into a group of boys with genu varus (n = 18; age: 11.66 ± 1.64 years) and healthy controls (n = 18; age: 11.44 ± 1.78 years). Three-dimensional kinematics, ground reaction forces, loading rates, impulses and free moments of both limbs were recorded during five walking trials at self-selected speed. Surface electromyography was recorded for rectus femoris and vastus lateralis/medialis muscles.No significant between-group differences were found for gait speed. Participants in the genu varus group versus controls showed larger peak knee flexion (p = 0.030; d = 0.77), peak knee adduction (p 0.001; d = 1.63), and peak ankle eversion angles (p 0.001; d = 2.06). Significantly higher peak ground reaction forces were found at heel contact (vertical [p = 0.002; d = 1.16] and posterior [p 0.001; d = 1.63] components) and at push off (vertical [p = 0.010; d = 0.93] and anterior [p 0.001; d = 1.34] components) for genu varus versus controls. Peak medial ground reaction force (p = 0.032; d = 0.76), vertical loading rate (p 0.001; d = 1.52), anterior-posterior impulse (p = 0.011; d = 0.92), and peak negative free moment (p = 0.030; d = 0.77) were significantly higher in genu varus. Finally, time to reach peak forces was significantly shorter in genu varus boys compared with healthy controls (p 0.01; d = 0.73-1.60). The genu varus group showed higher activities in vastus lateralis (p 0.001; d = 1.82) and vastus medialis (p = 0.013; d = 0.90) during the loading phase of walking.Our study revealed genu varus specific gait characteristics and muscle activities. Greater knee adduction angle in genu varus boys may increase the load on the medial compartment of the knee joint. The observed characteristics in lower limb biomechanics and muscle activity could play a role in the early development of knee osteoarthritis in genu varus boys. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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